Tiny News Collective Membership/Founder Program

Tiny News Collective Membership Program

A membership program for new and early-stage local news founders providing coaching, tools, resources and strategic support to launch and grow community-rooted news organizations. While not a direct grant program, membership unlocks access to regranting opportunities (Spark Fund and Immediate Needs Fund) and other member services.

What is Included in Membership:

• Fiscal sponsorship
• Ghost CMS platform
• Access to Lawyers for Reporters
• Coaching and guidance
• Strategic support for business and journalism aspects
• Community access to other indie and small publishers
• Response and Resilience Program support (digital security, legal questions, mental health, operational stability)

Geographic Scope: United States only

Target Organizations:

• Pre-launch news organizations
• Early-stage news organizations
• Organizations in transformative/overhauling phases
• Legacy publications are NOT eligible

Community Focus:

• Organizations in underserved communities
• Organizations covering under-covered issue areas
• Community-rooted, locally-focused journalism

Founder Eligibility Requirements:

• At least 18 years of age
• Individual or small group of individuals
• Based in the United States
• Live in or are part of the community being served
• At least one team member able to use materials in English
• Able to participate remotely via internet
• NOT engaged in lobbying or creating content on behalf of political candidates, politicians or political entities
• Do NOT work for state, local, or municipal government entities
• NOT a member of Congress

Organization Eligibility Requirements:

• Intended to make long-term impact in presence of local news providers for underserved communities
• NOT a legacy publication making digital transition
• In pre-launch, early stages, or wanting to overhaul news organization in transformative ways

Good Fit Characteristics:

• Immersed and connected to community being served
• Continually seeks to understand and adapt to community information needs
• Has vision for serving community with potential impact
• Understands journalistic ethics in news business
• Prepared to strategize, grow and take responsibility for business and team
• Open to learning and sharing with fellow founders
• Understands organization's role in ecosystem (connecting communities, meeting information needs, holding power accountable, shifting narrative)

Types of Organizations TNC Wants to Support:

• Built and managed to be sustainable business
• Operated with ambitions to grow at rate reflecting and including community through staff, journalism and policies
• Operates as transparent, consistent and ethical publisher
• Responsive to community information needs with build-test-learn mentality
• Operates in underserved community, geography or under-covered issue area
• Ready to participate in mutual exchange of ideas, resources and skills with indie, small publishers

Response and Resilience Program (New 2026):

• Supports members facing digital security threats, legal questions, mental health needs and operational stability challenges
• Offers curated resources and warm handoffs to trusted partners
• Staffed by Response and Resilience Program Manager
• Supported by Democracy Fund and John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation

Application Process

Three-Part Application:

Part I: Eligibility & Founder Information

• Covers eligibility criteria
• Questions to understand applicant and their stage in organization creation process
• Each founder submits individual answers
• Completed by each founder with organization

Part II: Organization Vision & Business Planning

• Explores thinking about who organization will serve
• Addresses approach to business operations and news organization
• One set of answers per organization (not duplicated by each founder)
• Only one founder needs to submit answers

Part III: Demographics (Optional)

• Optional demographic survey
• Helps TNC assess and improve efforts
• Each founder completes individually
• All questions optional

Support Resources Available:

Application Worksheet:

• Google Doc template with all application questions
• Includes explanations of why each question is asked
• Available in view-only mode; can make personal copy
• Useful for planning responses and collaborating with co-founders

Ask Me Anything (AMA) Sessions:

• Virtual sessions with TNC Membership Director
• Discuss application process, technology stack, available services
• Scheduled regularly
• Registration via TNC newsletter

Workshop: #BuildTheNews Community Canvas

• Thinking exercise exploring community information needs
• Developed by Outlier Media
• Helps answer application questions
• Optional but recommended
• Scheduled on ongoing basis

Workshop: #BuildTheNews Lean Business Plan Canvas

• Helps think through business aspects of starting/growing organization
• Designed to support application answers
• Scheduled on ongoing basis

Application Checklist (Before Submitting):

1. Read the FAQ
2. Review all eligibility requirements
3. Complete the Readiness Series to prepare
4. If co-founders, collaborate to prepare application
5. Use application worksheet and explanations
6. Have application open and ready to complete
7. Understand commitment required to start news organization

Selection Process:

1. Initial Review: Team screens for required eligibility criteria
2. Anonymous Review:
   • Each application assigned ID number
   • Copy created with identifying and demographic information removed
   • Co-founder applications connected
3. Panel Review: Minimum 2 reviewers per application packet
4. Interview Invitations: Within 1 month of application submission
5. Interviews: ~30 minutes with founders and at least 2 Selection Committee members
6. Final Decision: Selection Committee decides whether to proceed
7. Documentation Review: Invited founders review policies and documentation before deciding to join

Selection Committee:

• Multiple TNC staff members
• Rotating review committee with:
  • TNC team members
  • TNC board members
  • TNC advisors
  • External people (not from journalism background)
  • Small newsroom founders

Timeline:

• Applications reviewed on rolling basis
• Founders invited to interview hear within 1 month of submission
• Unexpected timeline changes communicated to all applicants

Important Notes:

• Application designed to be useful even if founder doesn't join TNC
• Thinking and planning for application helpful for starting news organization regardless
• Support provided throughout process; not about determining if founder is "good enough"
• Focus on ensuring TNC is right next step for applicant
• Co-founders must coordinate to use same Organization Name format (Organization Name - City, State) across all individual applications for connection